Fractured
by TheFracturedCookie
Summary: In countless seasons, the main Clans diverged into pure chaos for many reasons. Twolegs, war and more have ruined it all. But some fragments of survivors did not give up, and moved as many cats as they could to new territory, also renaming them. A new she-kit is born here. She soon discovers that cats of the dark forest have now learned to do much more than just haunt your dreams.
1. Prologue

_Prologue  
_

_A giggle echoed behind me and I almost growled but kept quiet. I knew who was trying to sneak up on me, He thought himself as lithe..conniving...but how was he wrong._

_My head just lied on the floor, very still, my eyes trying to stay closed and relaxed._

_The kit was upon me. I could almost hear his tiny claws unsheathe, his presence close by, his heartbeat pound faster. Soon his breathe held still, and I could tell he was ready to pounce on his target. But before he could leap, I whirled around on him, taking the tom by surprise. "I knew you were there Dawnkit!" Stupid furball. I smirked, trying to make my vision stop being so blurry. Why couldn't I see my own kin's face clearly?_

_I could tell he was looking at me strange though. Out of nowhere he stood straight up and said, "Umm...great. But who's Dawnkit? Mine name is SWIFTkit, remember?"_

_"Wha...?" I gasped with confusion, before I really woke up._

Swiftkit prodded the ginger-cream tabby a second time. "Don't you remember? We met last night. Patch introduced us,"

Finally, the she-kit's vision cleared. She did remember. But that didn't mean she wanted to. "Yeah, sorry, nevermind," she replied with a monotone voice.

She didn't want to be here with the other kit. Or Patch, the adult loner that brought them together, as mean as it sounded. She wanted to be back home, with her mother and brother in BreezeClan. One, the little kit was very shy, and she would be entrusting her own life with one of them and meeting two more. Two, she was just homesick.

If only Patch hadn't made the mistake of going into the medicine den instead of the nursery that moment.

If only she hadn't wound up in the medicine den at all.

If only she hadn't fought with Shadowkit...

* * *

Beginning Arc list of Clanmembers...

**BreezeClan**

_Leader: _**Redstar**- Dusky brown tom with a dark ginger tail and amber eyes.

_Deputy:_ **Pebblefall- **Grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes and three scars on her left eye.

_Medicine Cat:_ **Squirreltail**- Grey she-cat with green eyes and a bushy tail.

_Medicine Cat Apprentice:_ **Mistpaw**- Grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes. Spitting image of Pebblefall.

_Warriors:_

**Twistedsong**- Lilac marbled tabby she-cat with blue eyes.

**Barkclaw**- Red, white and brown torbie tom.

**Pikatail**- Pale tabby she-cat.

**Bluestorm**- Blue-grey tom.

**Cedartail**- Light brown tabby tom with amber eyes.

**Prairieheart**- Beautiful, dark ginger tabby she-cat.

**Tanglefur**- Grey-black tom.

**Jayflight**- Grey and white patched tom, with slate eyes.

**Locustwing**- Dark brown she-cat with amber eyes.

**Birchpelt**- Light brown tabby tom with amber eyes.

_Apprentices:_

**Ebonypaw**- Black she-cat.

**Thrushpaw**- Grey tabby tom with blue eyes.

_Queens:_

**Sandpath**- Cream tabby she-cat with green eyes.

**Dustwind**- Dusky brown queen.

**Willowfang**- Fawn tabby point she-cat.

_Kits:_

**Everkit**- Cream tabby she-kit with unusual violet eyes.

**Ripplekit**- Blue-grey tom-kit with slate eyes.

**Shadowkit**- Dark grey tom-kit with lighter flecks and blue eyes.

**Leafkit**- Light grey dappled she-kit with bright green eyes.

**Dawnkit**- Pale ginger tom with green eyes.

**Lionkit**- Cinnamon tom with black tipped ears and tail, and ice blue eyes. His tail is short at the base then becomes poofy at the end.

_Elders:_

**Falconwing**- Brown tabby tom with white muzzle and belly.

**Speckleleaf**- White she-cat with brown spots along her tail and paws.

**Skyleap**- Fluffy white tom.


	2. Chapter 1

"Go and eat from the freshkill pile, Everkit," a cream tabby meowed tiredly. "If your stomach keeps growling like that I know I'll never be able to go back to sleep,"

Everkit's violet eyes peeked up from her mother's tail. Her timid back retched a little. "A-A-A-A-Are you s-s-su-"

"Yes! Go sweetheart, I'll be right here when you come back,"

Hesitantly she nodded and trotted slowly out of the nursery. She lowered her ears when she heard some of the queens purr in amusement behind her.

"So shy," one mused.

"She's definitely the momma's she-kit, isn't she?" another cackled.

_No. I just don't wanna communicate with anyone else right now. _Her poofy tail bristled slightly but Everkit continued to the freshkill pile, selecting a grey mouse as her choice.

Just as she was about to wold it down, she was suddenly pummeled over by something. Everkit glanced up, meeting eyes with a light grey kit.

"Oh, hi Leafkit," Everkit greeted calmly, rolling back onto her paws.

Leafkit giggled, sticking out her pale pink tongue. "No squeak of surprise, as usual. I just decided to follow ya out of the nursery to join you,"

"Cool, we will too," a different voice interrupted.

Everkit felt her warm, tiny social part she had stored within her shrivel out like a worm.

Leafkit let out a irritated huff. "What do you guys want?"

Two more kits appeared before them. One was dark grey, with lighter grey flecks. The other was brown with black tipped ears and tail.

The dark grey one smirked, turning towards his friend. "So rude. Right Lionkit?"

Lionkit blankly nodded, "Yes, Shadowkit,"

Leafkit purred mockingly, "Why don't you just say 'yes master'? I think it would fit the current situation more, would It not?" her green eyes seemed to shoot venom at Lionkit, venom Everkit had never seen before. It slightly deterred her...

In return Lionkit just stayed calm, glaring at her frostily with with his odd eyes.

Why are you so mean, Leafkit?" Shadowkit mewed with a fake pout, suddenly pouncing on the smaller she-kit. Leafkit in just a few seconds was pushed against the sandy floor by the grey tom. "C'mon, tell me!"

"Urgh!" Leafkit squeaked in pain as he kept pushing her into the ground with a satisfied smile.

Everkit in horror gawked out, "S-S-Stop Sh-Shadowkit!"

He looked up at her with his dark blue eyes, clearly with surprise at her outburst. It was uncommon for her to speak.

All too soon it was unfortunately replaced with a taunting smirk. "Or what? You'll tell your mommy on me? Oh oh! Or, you'll stare at me to death? Stupid. Go on, tell, they won't have proof. And Lionkit will back me up. You're just stupid and powerless,"

Everkit gasped very quietly, backing up. She wished one of the warriors, or even apprentices were up, so that Shadowkit could get in trouble. But it was in the dead of the night, and the only cat that was up and supposed to be guarding was on the opposite side of the camp, probably half asleep and unable to hear anything.

Shadowkit laughed unpleasantly. "See? You're just a coward. A scaredykit. Go back to the nursery and cuddle up with your mommy, or better yet become a kittypet and live with the twolegs. You'll never be a good apprentice -or warrior-, at that rate," he was on a role, feeling like for once he had power in his paws.

Everkit's face became a pout, and she glanced helplessly at her friend who was continuously being pushed around by the older kit.

_**Do something. Are you gonna take that from a lowlife like him? He has no right, **_she suddenly heard in her head. Her violet eyes widened in panic. She had heard this voice before. She didn't like it. It scared her.

_B-But I don't wanna fight..._the small she-kit thought helplessly.

_**Does it look like you have a choice? Either you take action, or just watch and probably get pushed around after he's done with your little friend,**_ it replied fiercely, making her heart beat faster.

Everkit stared at Leafkit sadly._ I can't. He'll beat me for sure, and Lionkit will help anyway. So what's the use?_

Her blood suddenly felt as if it were on fire. Everkit lowered slightly to the ground, groaning in pain. The world spun before the she-kit's eyes._**If you don't, **_the older voice hissed, _**I will!**_

"Hey, what's your problem stupid?" Shadowkit taunted again, cocking an eyelid. She breathed out deeply, feeling no longer in control of her own voice. "Who are you calling stupid, mouse-dung?"

He glanced at her with a gawked face, and in return she purred bitterly. "What, got bees in your brain too? Not a good combination to have y'know,"

"What...? Hey! Shut up kit!" he growled, stepping away from Leafkit and facing Everkit.

The voice within her spurted out a giggle, speaking again through the cream tabby. "Excuse me? But last time I checked, you were still a kit too. See? ShadowKIT? Don't get acting all high and mighty just because you're going to be apprenticed soon, mouse-dung. Going around acting like you're the leader of the place...please! How could a pipsqueak like you be leader of BreezeClan, when you aren't even clan born? You idiotic, filthy rouge! And you wonder why no one likes you! Only Lionkit, -StarClan forbid anycat knows why- is loyal. Even then I bet he is annoyed by your constant need to have attention and feel power!"

Everkit could see the sore spot within the tom was just clawed to shreds. _Why did you have to be so mean? Even Shadowkit wasn't that spiteful to me..._

But the voice seemed to be ignoring her now.

Shadowkit looked very sad for one moment, then his blue eyes turned to slits. "Take it back, stupid," he hissed stubbornly, unsheathing his claws under the dark night. "Now,"

She backed up, but her voice still wasn't being used by free will. "Haha! You think a little rouge kit that his own mother didn't even want can go against me? Bring your worst, mouse-dung."

"You asked for it, stupid!" he snarled, coming upon her with his paws outstretched. Rage thundered through his eyes, and the cream tabby jerked back with a squeal of surprise. Terror rushed through her as she was smacked in to a ditch wall. What neither of them expected was the wall to crumble into a hole, small enough to send them both crashing inside and a few tail-lengths underground.

When they landed, Everkit could no longer use her own body, either. All she could do was watch from her eyes.

"Yes, that's right, show me you strength, mouse-dung!" she smiled, unsheathing her claws when Shadowkit bit her leg and tail, hard enough to induce agony for the little kit's part.

But her claws never normally hurt when she unsheathed them...the she-kit looked at her paws. Each claw was two times their original size, therefore cutting through much of her delicate paws. Blood oozed out slowly from each gash.

As soon as Shadowkit was about to attack again, the cream tabby whirled around on him and scratched his flank, rolling out of the way. He growled in pawn and fell on his side, blood rushing out quickly. Then she unwillingly came upon the grey kit, opening her mouth in an overwhelming grin.

"Relish this pain. For in a few moments, they'll have been the last feelings you remember," she meowed with a sick feeling in her belly. noticing that the voice was making her reel toward his neck. For a killing bite.

Before she could do anything, Everkit could see the fear flowing like minnows in his eyes for the first time in her life. She didn't want to hill him. Horrified she yelled in her head, _Stop!_

And surprisingly, she felt control seep through her paws again. She was no longer numb. Blood, paws, tail, voice, she could feel it all again. Hurriedly, she drew back, squealing a little. _Why did this have to happen? Why?_

That moment of freedom was too soon interrupted. _**What are you doing? Finish this worthless rouge off! He was right. You ARE a coward. I'm finishing this runt, like it or not.**_

The last thing Everkit heard was adult pleas of worry, before falling over and completely blacking out.


	3. Chapter 2

Warm sunlight filtered through cracks in the medicine den. Green-leaf was at it's best, the sun rays not burning the pelts of all the furry animals of the wild, but giving off a pleasant and warm feeling. Everkit was lieing in one of these rays, feeling relaxed and comfy in her little nest. With the sweet and tart auroma of poppy and chamomile...

_Wait, _she thought. _Poppy? Chamomile? My own nest? Where...?_

"You woke up!" a sweet voice like honey cheered. She glanced up to see the medicine cat apprentice of BreezeClan, standing over her with a smile. "Thank goodness. If you had stayed like that much longer, we were gonna see if you got knocked out with a head injury or something,"

Everkit meowed, "Mistpaw? Why am I in the medicine den? I remember getting a mouse to eat..." and trailed off slightly. Then her memories came flashing back, and she hurriedly hopped back onto her paws in a heartbeat. "Is Shadowkit and Leafkit okay? No, for now forget Leafkit, what about Shadowkit? I didn't k-kill him d-di-di-di-"

"Shadowkit is fine! My, I didn't expect you to care that much, seeing as you're the one who fought him and won," Mistpaw interrupted with a giggle.

"But I almost bit him on the side of the neck, which would have killed him," Everkit preceded seriously with a nod.

That seemed to get her attention. "How do you know about the killing bite? Most kits your age don't..." then the smile seemed to come back in her blue eyes. "Ah. One of the apprentices must have told you about it right? And no offense Everkit, but I'm sure you wouldn't be quite able to kill anyone yet," she giggled again sweetly, tipping her head to one side.

The kit knew the grey tabby meant well, but her fur still managed to bristle with annoyance._ Maybe not me, but the voice in my head did. What sugary comeback could you say to that? To an "insane" kit with voices in her head? _she thought furiously but managed saying her thoughts aloud. The LAST thing she needed right now was to be labeled handicap and put into the elders' den for eternity. But she just knew she was actually very sane, perhaps even clever, but there was something inside her. Someone inside her. Someone haunting every one of her thoughts...

"Everkit, you need to lie back down, you opened a gash again," Mistpaw sighed, bringing her back to the real world. Confused she looked down, sure enough to see blood oozing from a cut on her leg. That's when she realized, she was in _pain_. Her tail, paws, leg, all the things that were either bitten or clawed by Shadowkit. And her paws had fresh holes in them from the double-sized claws.

It was quite nasty. It slightly frightened her. Finally she obeyed and collapsed back into her nest, watching as Mistpaw flew towards her with some musty cob webs, soaking the blood.

"EVERKIT!" a voice boomed from the entrance of the den. Hurriedly she looked up, seeing her mother and a grey cat walking in from behind her. "Everkit! You're finally awake!" She rammed her head against her kit, purring wildly and in return the cream tabby winced.

"_Sandpath,_ I need to keep myself still. How long was I asleep?"

"From the moment you black out till the next sunhigh darling," she replied.

"Yes," the grey cat from behind purred in amusement, pushing her way through. "Shadowkit is going to get a thorough scolding from Stonestar,"

"But I hurt him too...so why?"

The cat nodded. "Lionkit told us the whole story. He provoked you to yell, and Shadowkit in anger attacked you and you attacked back in self...defense..." suddenly she seemed distracted, staring at Everkit's paws with wide eyes, no doubt at the holes. Self consciously the kit squealed and tucked her paws under her bushy chest. Hurriedly, she continued. "No one believed him at first because from what some of the warriors saw, you were looming over Shadowkit with large amounts of blood dropping from your jaws, and there were bite marks on his neck. But Leafkit back him up,"

_I did bite him! At least I was too dizzy for the voice to get the right spot exactly...But why would Lionkit tell them what really happened? Doesn't he like Shadowkit?_

"Squirreltail," Sandpath intervened, glancing sideways at the grey she-cat. "How long must Everkit stay in here?"

The medicine cat's bushy tail twitched. "Until there's no risk of her cuts opening again, and the holes in her paws have healed. So at least two sunrises,"

_Two whole sunrises? This is gonna take forever! My condition can't be that bad!_

"Not to mention Shadowkit was lucky to just have to welts on his neck and a small gash on his flank. He's fine now, but your daughter will need more time,"

"Alright," Sandpath sighed, knowing they wanted her to leave. "Goodbye, Everkit," and with a whisk of her tail she padded out of the den.

But then two more visitors came.

"Leafkit!" Everkit purred, watching her weave towards her.

Leafkit grinned. "Glad to see you're alright. I've got some great news too, Dawnkit told me he eavesdropped on Stonestar and Shadowkit. According to him, Stonestar really yelled at him and told him his apprentice ceremony would be delayed another moon. So he has to watch Lionkit all by himself up there wayyy before him! Funny huh?" something seemed slightly off with her as she spoke.

Things seemed more awkward now. Everkit noticed wouldn't look at her directly in the eye, and each time she seemed to say something her friend contracted.

"That wasn't really me doing those things Leafkit! Please believe me, I'm not scary," she suddenly pleaded with wide eyes.

Leafkit looked at her with surprise and tipped her head calmly. "It's...fine Everkit. You don't need to be ashamed of it, you were only defending yourself. And Shadowkit needed to be taught a lesson," but when she nodded and giggled to emphasize it, it seemed like she was also trying to convince herself. _She doesn't believe me! _Everkit thought, horrified. _I bet Sandpath just wasn't fazed because I'm her kit! I wonder if my brother even believes Lionkit and Leafkit. Please do, Dawnkit..._

Why did she leave for that mouse?

Why didn't she just take the mouse and eat in the nursery?

Or hide herself in a bush and eat privately?

"I...got to go too," Leafkit said hesitantly, probably telling only half the truth.

When Squirreltail dismissed Leafkit and called over her apprentice, Mistpaw, she informed Everkit that they were going out to get herbs and told her to rest. That if she needed anything she could holler for Twistedsong, a warrior that knew a few things about herbs. And as they left, Everkit curled up in a ball and whimpered to herself in sorrow. _The Clan believes I'm a monster. _

_**Let them, **_she heard. _**Because if you listen to me, we can rule all the fools who believe that so easily.**_


	4. Chapter 3

"Be right back Everkit. As soon as you get the okay from Squirreltail you may leave," Mistpaw mewed softly and whisked away from the medicine den.

_Whatever, _Everkit thought, wishing to just leave now. It might have been night and her eyes could barely stay open, but she was sick of staying in here. But at the same time, she didn't want to leave and face her Clanmates. Sometimes in the past two days warriors would past by the entrance, and when they see her would mutter to their selves quietly in disgusted tones. _What kind of messed up rumors spread about me? They probably heard __**Shadowkit's**__ part of the story, _her teethe clenched and claws flexed at the thought. _I don't wanna see his face again. Not after what he did to Leafkit..._

"Urgh! This is the medicine den, not the nursery. But if I don't hurry, they'll scent me for sure," the kit suddenly heard from a very strange voice, smelling something like carrion and pine waft through the room.

Her violet eyes peeked up and she saw a white, fluffy cat with a brown patch on his eye.

She squeaked and jumped out of her nest, completely recovered now. "Wh-who are you?" she hissed frightfully at the stranger, backing up.

The tom seemed to just barely notice she was there. "Oh. A kit," something seemed to spark in his green eyes. "-Looks like I'll need to improvise-, hey! My name is Patch, what is yours little one?"

"Everk-kit. You're a loner...or rouge right? What do you want? Can't you talk to one of the warriors if you need help or something?"

"I have a...better idea," he grinned, showing off his teeth. "How about you come with me on an adventure? We can play hide and seek on other territories, and there will be three more kits playing along too. In fact, I have one with me now waiting by the trees at the edge of this territory right now. What do you say?" he said it with a friendly, kind voice. As if he was a father talking to his kit.

But Everkit was a very skeptical, paranoid kit. She didn't trust anyone, save for Leafkit, Sandpath, and Dawnkit. But the word adventure certainly did tickle her fluffy ears a smidgen._ He has another kit, and he's gonna try to get two more after me? _she thought, scared and backing away even more from him. _All I have to do is yowl and run, and he'll be in mouse-dung. Mouse-dung...funny word. I'd never even heard it till the voice said it, and I've never heard fox-dung either till now from Patch._

_But if I do that, what will happen to the other kit? I don't want them all alone on my territory, where some fox could get them. _Everkit growled quietly._ How could I let that happen? And if he escapes when I yowl for help, how will I know he wont take any of the other kits here? Why does he want them? What if he does something horrible to BreezeClan? I have to know!_

Slowly she nodded and paced slowly towards the back of the room to where he was, which was pretty dark. "Alright. I'll go," she meowed with a composed voice.

Patch's eyes lit up at the news. "Great! I'll take you to meet the other kit," he yelled in a hushed tone, and stepped towards Everkit. The small cream tabby shivered a bit when he picked her up, fear pricking off her pelt.

"We're back Everkit!" they suddenly heard. with a jolt Patch dropped her quickly but gently, signaling her to be quiet.

She didn't need to be told twice.

Patch snatched a branch that was outside of the den, rubbing it all over the broken hole he went through. Everkit was bewildered at what he was doing, when a horrid smell pinched her nose. "Eww! What is that?" she hissed in a whisper.

In a couple of moments he dropped the branch. "Fox dung. This will cover our scent," he nodded and snatched her again with his jaws, sprinting through the tiny hole into the night.

"Everkit? Hullooo...are you in here?" she heard the apprentice call again, very confused.

_I'm sorry, Mistpaw, _Everkit silently thought, closing her eyes with regret. She might have made a noble choice, but was it the right one?

* * *

_Why did morning have to come so soon? _Everkit thought with a yawn as Swiftkit fell beside her. "So Everkit, who's Dawnkit?"

"My brother," she said, not wanting to talk.

"Cool, I have a sister! Do you have any siblings, Patch?"

"No. It's just me," the loner chuckled, closing his eyes.

_How can they act like we are just strolling along and hunting? I've had enough of this charade. _"Tell me,"

"Tell you what?" Patch looked at her, confused.

"Tell me why you really came and got us!" she snapped, stopping in her tracks.

He looked confused, like what she said went in one ear and out the other. "I told you. Don't you wanna go on that adventure with Swiftkit and the other two? I-"

She suddenly felt a bit brave, not caring if he wanted to cuff her in the head. She needed an outlet from the past two sunrises, and unfortunately it would have to be Patch. "Shut up. I know you're lying. What do you want with us really? One kit from each Clan to play a **game**? I don't think so,"

Swiftkit cocked his head two the side looking at Everkit with his slate eyes. "You think he's lying? Why?"

"I KNOW he's lying!" she hissed.

"Enough," Patch suddenly meowed quietly, but serious enough to disturb the two. "Yes I was lying, but if I told you the real reason straight off you would have never come with me. But I'm no evil 'rouge' or anything. I didn't want to do this but...I had no choice," his green eyes reflected sorrow and it surprised the two kits.

"No choice?" the silver tabby kit meowed with a repulsive tone. "How didn't you have a choice?"

"Because...well, it's hard to explain. You clan cats don't know about tribes. They're kind of like your clans...just a bit different. Anyway, the leader of this tribe is a very bad cat. He's holding my mate, Whitetree hostage,"

"Whitetree?" Swiftkit interrupted thoughtfully. "It sounds like a clan name,"

"Yes. Whitetree was from ForestClan. But done day, she realized that she was going to have kits. "They still aren't born yet. She didn't want to raise them in a Clan to always be questioned of their loyalty, to have a hard life. So she left to travel with me. But the leader...he took her hostage. And no doubt the kits will be born before we get there. Anyway, he said only if I brought four kits from each clan would he release them. I would have loved to rip his fur off instead, but he had his whole tribe to sic on me. I had no choice. I don't want Whitetree to become a slave there forever,"

Everkit only felt a shrivel of pity for Patch. Other wise it was fear, terror. What if she never came back home? The thought horrified her. She had half the mind to just run right then and there. Swiftkit almost looked the same.

Patch saw this and came up with something hurriedly to stop it. "Look, I know I just scared you, but you wanted to know the truth. Look...when I hand you over to the leader, I promise I'll get you back somehow. It might take a while but...seriously, I swear it on my kits," suddenly the white tom looked determined, standing up again. "Please come with me. You have no idea how much Whitetree means to me,"

She thought quietly to herself, staring at the meadow ground. _Well, he swore, and this time he seems to be sincere with his words. And he'll do anything for his kits it seems, even if I refuse I'll probably be forced to go anyway or he'll take a different kit. So what's the difference?_

"I'll go!" Swiftkit piped, seeming to recover quickly from that splendor. Everkit sighed, getting back on her paws.

"Alright. L-lets get the other k-kits," she sighed, becoming shyer. Now that she was no longer frustrated an learned Patch was not a "mean and scary rouge", he true color seemed to show. Now we just need a DarkClanner and ForestClanner.

"We've already walked enough. Stay here by the trees, I need to go into the ForestClan camp,"

"Alright," Everkit and Swiftkit chimed at the same time. Then they just sat in silence awkwardly.

Only a few moments later they heard cries from a kit. "Lemme go! Momma, help me! MOMMA!"

Patch reappeared, looking annoyed. A red kit with white paws, ears, and tipped hung from his jaws.

Everkit lowered her ears. She already did not prefer this kit. They didn't need someone complaining the whole trip.

He dropped her, not hard but not so gently like he did with Swiftkit and Everkit. "Sorry, she saw me first and she wouldn't come along voluntarily. Before she was about to scream for help, anyway,"

"Where am I? Who are you? What do you want with me? And why is an _**AquaClanner and BreezeClanner **_here?" the red she-kit said the last line in a repulsive tone.

Everkit sighed. Her clan had told her about this. ForestClanners are brave and strong, but also very snobby. They thought no other clan could compare to the more often than not.

_**This kit needs to shut up**__._ she heard. _No don't-_

Nevertheless, the voice made her step forward. "We're going on an adventure. Do you like adventures?"

"S-Sure?"

"Good. Because Patch," she gestured her tail towards the loner, "Is taking you, Swiftkit, a DarkClanner and I to...somewhere to save his family. We'll be back, but we need your help. What's your name?

"Berrykit..." the green eyes she-kit meowed.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Everkit. Shall we?" she forced up a fake, but realistic smile to calm her down.

Even though Berrykit was a bit calmer, she still had doubt written all over her face. "And how do you know we'll come back?"

"He promised he would get us back. And everyone knows that if someone promises to a ForestClan cat, they must be telling the truth," Everkit meowed, the lie rolling smoothly off her tongue.

But the kit seemed satisfied with that answer. "All right," Berrykit replied and followed Patch as he sighed with relief and padded off towards a different territory. Finally Everkit snapped back into control, gasping and shivering slightly. _Doesn't anyone else ever have this happen to them? Am I really the only one? _

The red kit still bickered about anything else she possible could, and the trio from before silently started to figure out that this was just her nature.

After exiting the coniferous forest night seemed to awaken once again. The sun was almost set over the horizon. They entered a small patch of pine woods. Patch explained that this was the entrance to the DarkClan territory, and that their camp was in dark, underground caves. There were also mashes behind that they hunted in.

"But how do you know all of this, Patch?" Swiftkit asked.

"The leaser told me that I could get the kits faster,"

The fact that the leader of this so called "tribe" knew their clans so well immensely disturbed Everkit...

"Anyway, I'll be back by the time nightfall gets here. This will be a bit harder to do since they live in caves and not in an open land where I can hide wherever I please,"

And soon, the kits were all alone once again.

"This tribe guy? He has no good taste. I mean, why didn't he just get four kits from one clan? Like you know, ForestClan?" Berrykit complained snarkily. "And my paws hurt. When can we rest? I also wanna tell mommy where we're going. Where does he live anyway? He probably lives at the end of the world! Oh my, why did we have to get taken! The end of the world sounds so far, StarClan I-"

"Shut up you spoiled mouse-brain!" Swiftkit suddenly hissed, surprising both of the she-kits. "Everkit and I are scared of what will happen too. But narking on the fact we're pretty much being traded and about all the bad things in life won't help anything,"

Berrykit cringed at his words. "I want to go back. I wanna see momma,"

_I wanna see Sandpath, Dawnkit, and Leafkit. StarClan, even Shadowkit would be nice. Anything to do with my own home. But that isn't gonna happen, _Everkit thought to herself with a sigh.

"Well, we can't. And that's that," Swiftkit meowed with a melancholy tone. "But I'm getting pretty hungry. What I would give for some nice, juicy water vole..."

Berrypaw sniffed. "Meh. I prefer something like starlings or magpies,"

"-Something for that bird-brain of yours-," he muttered to the side, "What about you Everkit? Got any tasties you enjoy back home?" the silver tabby tom chapped his lips.

She felt her fur spike up, not expecting to be spoken to. "Uhh...I l-like...pikas and groundhogs..."

"Oh yeah! Groundhogs live in the meadow right? I'm not a pika fan but I really do wonder how groundhogs ta-"

"You're all talking about food at a time like this?" the three suddenly heard. In unison they turned their heads to see Patch holding a long haired, black kit with intense blue eyes. The kit looked up at Patch. "Now answer me. What do you want from me? Are you so bad at hunting that you had to pick off a helpless kit to eat? -Well, I'm anything but helpless if I do say so myself,-" the loner dropped the kit to the ground tiredly.

He explained the whole situation again, and the kit looked up at him defiantly.

"Do you all honestly believe this kook?" he asked. "I betcha he's lying about taking us back. Don't you think his story is sketchy too? What if Whitetree doesn't even exist?" the tom glared at their gawked faces. "You're all vapid. Stupid. I'm leaving,"

"Wait! No, please!" Patch yelled. He looked like he was on the verge of taking the kit anyway and running.

The kit shook his head. "I'm going home, like or not. If you don't you'll have to fight me for it,"

"Yeah!" Berrykit suddenly meowed, coming after him. "I'm going home too!"

Everkit sighed. _You're all..._

"Why don't you just get your mate back like a real tom?"

"Yeah!"

_Berrykit, shut up! Your stupidity isn't helping anycat!_

"C'mon! Fight me mouse-dung!" the black kit hissed.

Patch just rolled his eyes. "I'm not gonna fight a kit. Especially for no good reason,"

He still jeered him on. "Who's the kit here? You're the mouse-heart coward,"

"No. I'm not going to,"

"I bet you're scared to show you're weak!" he grinned mischievously. "Of course, loners will never be as strong as warriors,"

The white cat lowered his eye lids and stance. "I may not be a clan cat, kit, but I'm no weakling,"

"Mouse-heart! Mouse-heart!"

Patch's claws seered through the ground. "Shut your chaps kit I'm not..."

But when he saw the kits face which was giving off a sort of emotion of arrogant victory, he changed his sentence. "...Oh. Heh. Okay. You really want a fight? All right. I'll show you how real cats fight," his eyes turned to slits, scaring every kit but the DarkClanner.

"Bring it on!" the black kit jeered and lunged at the loner, only to be knocked down quite easily. Everkit was relieved to see that even thought the white cat was angered, he was only using a quarter of his strength.

But the tom-kit wasn't done yet. He staggered back onto his paws. "Pah! That was...nothing! Don't hold back, are you scared?" he wormed all over Patch, biting his paws, tail, and any other place he could.

Patch shook him off harshly and aimed a swipe at the kit. Rage thundered through his eyes as he successfully hit his target, throwing the seemingly light-weight object right into the air.

To land _right_ onto the small Thunderpath nearby, where they could hear a red monster zooming close to them.


	5. Chapter 4

Everkit's memory of that moment was a blur. That's because it might have been her will to dive towards the DarkClan kit that would inevitably be squashed.

But that amazing feeling of strength, courage and speed was not.

It was the voice's.

So when the cream tabby rammed herself into the dark kit with great velocity, and threw herself and him onto the other side, only then did she gain full control again and gasp, breathing in the acrid tang from the smoke left behind from the monster.

"Everkit!" she heard Swiftkit call from the other side. "Everkit, are you alright!"

She glanced at the Thunderpath knowing they still couldn't see her because of the concealing veil of smoke.

"Yes, I'm fine," she called quietly, hearing Patch heave a sigh of relief.

"What...just happened?" the kit behind her coughed.

"Patch accidentally..." she paused, wondering if it _really_ was on accident. "He accidentally knocked you onto the Thunderpath. B-But we'll be fine," her brave phase she had before when she charged onto the road was slowly being consumed.

His eyes widened. "You mean, a monster came?" he was now gathering his wits, but still looked a bit dizzy from the blow. "Yeah, that explains the smoke. That means you pushed me out of the way, right?"

"Ye-Yeah?"

Suddenly he groaned. "Great,"

_What is that supposed to mean? _Everkit thought with a huff. _I just saved your life, you ungrateful twit! _"Why, do you wish I didn't?" she slightly hissed.

"No! That's not it!" he growled out of no where, getting in her face. "Since you technically saved me life, I owe you three favors!" his eyes were annoyed and even more intense.

Swiftkit's left eye twitched. "Uhh...what? Who told you that nonsense?"

The dark kit looked like he was going to answer, but then just shrugged. "It's no cat's business. So, what do you want first?" he looked at Everkit.

_Uhh..._

"Hurry up before I change my mind. Just cause G-...Just because some cat told me it was the honorable thing to do, doesn't mean I have to oblige,"

She nodded. _Alright, you asked for it. _"Fine, my first 'favor' I want you to do is come willingly. And no complaining,"

"I knew you would do that," he sighed with agitation. "Fine,"

"Thank goodness," Patch meowed. The white cat glanced up at the sky. "We'd better get going. And find a place to rest,"

Everkit widened her violet eyes in surprise. She had barely noticed the dark blue skies above that were illuminated by countless white stars.

A few moments later they came across a hollowed out bush surrounded by cliffs and trees. "This will do," he panted. Then he stared at Everkit. "And thanks for saving him. I-...no, nobody could believe how fast you ran. For a kit, that seemed like you were going fast even for a full grown cat.

She felt a frigid shiver travel down her spine. _That's because it WAS a full grown cat that did it. If it wasn't for the voice, both of us would have been surely squashed. It was unnatural..._curling up in a ball the kit yawned, realizing how tired she was.

She could've sworn Berrykit mumbled, "The nursery is so much more comfy than this,"

And Swiftkit ask, "Hey, by the way, what's your name?" to the dark kit.

Before finally being swept away into the world of dreams, she heard him say quietly, "Nightkit,"

"Haha. _Well, good __**night, Night**__kit,"_

* * *

"It's almost been a half moon and still no sign of Everkit," a grey cat with a bushy tail sighed. "We think she got taken by a fox, Redheart,"

An almost black tom with a dark ginger tail closed his green eyes. "I think you may be right, Squirreltail. How is Stonestar? May I see him yet?"

She shook her head solemnly. "Sorry, but no. He's worse, I'm afraid, and the clan doesn't need their deputy getting sick as well,"

"Right. The sickness has reached three already. Speaking of which, how is Sandpath faring it?"

"Worse as well. It must be hard for her to lose her kit. It's sure not helping her get better,"

"This is really bad. I hope they all make it. Especially Stonestar,"

Mistpaw lowered he ears as she listened to this conversation. Were they doubting all three of the cats' survival?

Their conversation was interrupted by a high pitch yowl and hiss towards the medicine den's entrance. The grey tabby apprentice pursued the deputy and medicine cat as they dashed in alarm to figure out what was going on.

"Get out! STAY AWAY FROM ME YOU FOX-DUNG!" a brown kit snarled, his raspy voice making it sound even more venomous.

_What in StarClan's name? _Mistpaw thought. Lionkit, shivering slightly from the sickness which had captured him as well, was hissing and baring his teeth at our of all cats, Shadowkit.

Shadowkit just cringed and faked a smile to show he wasn't defeated, but not soon after padded away with a dismayed face.

Squirreltail trotted towards Lionkit. "What are you doing? Did Shadowkit do something to you?"

In reply he just stared down at the dirt floor, teeth clenched.

She sighed. "Alright, alright. Mistpaw, take Lionkit back to his nest. He needs all the rest he can get. I need to go check on how Stonestar is doing," and with a curt nod padded out, Redheart following her.

The grey tabby sighed. "Come, Lionkit," she meowed, weaving towards his nest. "You need to lie down.

He obeyed, but failed to look at her even once. She flinched when he quickly broke into a coughing fit, tucking his cold nose under his paws.

_His mother must be worried sick, _she thought sympathetically. _So must his step brother. But then why would he attack him? Didn't Shadowkit just want to comfort him, being kin and all?_

Lionkit finally quit hacking, and looked up at the medicine cat apprentice with his set of amber and ice blue eyes. Mistpaw sighed, returning her own gaze. "Lionkit, what happened? What did he do to provoke you like that?"

Immediately he shifted his eyes away. "Nothing," he meowed. "He just said something about Greykit, that's all. And I'm a bit agitated since my apprentice ceremony was supposed to be today but I'm too sick for it,"

Mistpaw nodded, understanding filling her blue eyes. Greykit was not Lionkit's littermate, but he might as well have been. The two were very close friends, they did everything together. Then one day, a patrol had found an abandoned rouge kit. It was Shadowkit. Only a quarter-moon later, Greykit had mysteriously disappeared. _He must feel like Shadowkit replaced Greykit, _she decided, not bothering to actually ask.

"Please at least tolerate him for Dustbreeze. I'm sure she loves you both very much,"

He looked at his paws irritably and rested his head. "Yes, mum does, unfortunately,"

**Boom!**

"What the-"

**Crash crash boom!**

Mistpaw sprinted to the exit, trying to decipher what the noise was.

A grey tabby that looked almost identical to her zoomed past. "We're under attack!" they yelled. "Foxes!"

In return she widened her eyes in excitement. "How many, Pebblefall?"

"Four!" the she-cat nodded and sped off.

Mistpaw's eyes sparkled with something some would call glee. The medicine cat apprentice licked her chaps, whiskers quivering with anticeapation. "Alright! Foxes, you better watch-"

"Mistpaw!" her mentor jumped in front of her, startling the young apprentice. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Huh? Well uhh I uhh...duh uhh..."

Squirreltail sighed heavily, agitation tinging her voice. "You looked like you were about to jump into the fight,"

Mistpaw pouted, resting her blue gaze to the she-cat's green one. "So what if I was? I just wanted to he-"

"You're not helping! You're doing the opposite!" she interrupted. "Leaving your patients alone in the medicine den? You must stay and defend them! And the last thing we need is for you to get hurt. I need all the help I can get to treat everyone after the battle,"

"Oh yeah? Then why aren't you defending the medicine den?" she argued with a glare.

Squirreltail rolled her eyes, speaking as if she were talking to a kit. "I will in a few moments. But right now I'm going to deliver poppy seeds to Stonestar, I don't want him to be shocked even slightly by the attack, or else it will worsen his condition even more. I also might have to help the warriors defend his den,"

Mistpaw looked as if she were about to argue, but then a lilac tabby popped up between the two. The warrior meowed, "Squirreltail, if you like I can stay here and defend the medicine den instead,"

At this statement the apprentice widened her eyes in delight, looking at her mentor with sheer hope.

"But Twistedsong she-"

"She can be on offense. I need a change of scenery, away from the nursery, I'm not very good with kits," she winked at Mistpaw as she said this, making her grin. "And even though she's training to be a medicine cat, it's still important for her to practice her battle skills!"

"...Alright, alright. Mistpaw, you may go," Squirreltail heaved, looking tired and going behind them to get poppy seeds.

"Thanks!" she meowed to Twistedsong and sped off towards the center of camp. _This is more like it. I can actually use my claws for once. Squirreltail knows that the foxes wouldn't go to the medicine den most likely, it's farther away from everything else._

A red fox suddenly snapped it's jaws in front of her face, quickly bringing her back to reality. She smirked and with a battle cry lunged for the fox's back, biting and clawing her heart out. It was a deep struggle for her to stay on however, it shook wildly and snarled with great ferocity.

Straining, the medicine cat apprentice hissed in frustration as she carefully used her claws to climb up it's neck onto it's head. _You're not welcome here! Get out of BreezeClan! _she thought.

But no longer had she thought that than the fox did successfully shake her off and snap it's large jaws at her tail. Furious with the small cat it growled, shaking it's head back and forth with her tail still in it's mouth.

Yelping in terror, she scrambled to get a grip on it's snout to free itself and failed miserably. Her paws flailed wildly, and she could barely notice that three more dogs had appeared._ Where are they all coming from? StarClan help us!_

Finally the vixen started to slowly calm down, it's movements becoming more sluggish and relaxed. With a finally burst of strength, Mistpaw propelled herself towards the foe and bit deep into it's snout, the metallic taste of blood engulfing her mouth and spurting about. _What did Ebonypaw tell me about her training session?_ The fox yowled in agony and threw it's head forward, also flinging her off. _Oh, yeah! _she thought, landing squarely on her feet.

Slowly, the cat circled her opponent. The heat from the blazing sun, the dust from the sand floor between her pads, the scent of blood, and the barks, all of it disappeared from her sight, hearing and smell. It was just her and the enraged vixen.

Seconds seemed to turn into minutes, and minutes into hours. Both of their gazes burned into each other's pelts, fueling the fire.

The fox made the first move, pouncing towards her with great speed and snapping teeth. Mistpaw smiled and ducked underneath it's belly, clawing it's flank. Not once. Not twice. Not even three times, six times criss cross she clawed. Before it could moved, she hopped up slightly and unsheathed all four of her paws to scratch the fox's legs.

It yelped with a high pitch shriek, running to-and-fro. Finally, it broke into a sprint, hopping out of the camp ditch and to the western plains.

"I did it! I scared a fox off all by myself!" Mistpaw yowled triumphantly with a quarter spin. "Take that Squirreltail! I'm not useless! Fighting's in my blood!"

"Mistpaw," someone interrupted, startling the apprentice. She turned to face Dustbreeze, a dusky brown queen. "I'm the only queen that is available to defend the back of the nursery. But...I need to see Lionkit! I'll be back, but for now, would you please defend the back entrance until I come back?"

"Of course!"

She nodded and sped off, leaving Mistpaw behind.

Then for the first time she really looked at the scene around her.

And it made her cringe.

There were still three foxes and dogs. And the cats were loosing. She watched ad the canines tore through their dens and bit into her fellow clanmates' flesh.

_We're going to lose. We're going to die, _she thought with terrified eyes. but immediately shook her head to clear those doubts. No. I can't give up now.

Then she smelt something. A scent filled with salt, foam, and most of all, fish.

"AquaClan!" she heard someone yowl, echoing her thoughts. _They're helping us! _Her eyes lit up as she saw one dog flee from three of them along with four BreezeClanners on their tail.

She couldn't help but notice that two foxes and one dog were ganging up on the leader's den for a peculiar reason. And see Squirreltail fighting along with Redheart and some other AquaClanner she had never seen before. But no one else noticed, and they didn't look like they could take much more.

_I have to help, _she turned towards the nursery. _But Dustbreeze told me to stay here, _she pouted.

_But the nursery looks safe for now, and they need help._

Suddenly a fox managed to snap it's jaws onto her mentor, closing it's sharp teeth into her stomach.

_No time to think! I have to help Squirreltail! _she screamed in her head, sprinting off towards the group with bared fangs and unsheathed claws.

The scent of grey the grey cat's blood entered her nose.

With a sweep into the air, she viciously barreled herself onto the unsuspecting creature's head, snarling like never before. "**_Take your dung filled mouth_ off my mentor!**"

Confused at what just hit it, the fox dropped the green eyed she-cat, who landed with a plop.

Mistpaw clawed and shredded at it's eyes. Shrieking with pain it ducked, allowing Redheart to attack as well.

More AquaClanners charged into this area, finally fending off the animals. A fox and dog ran away now.

With one more bite on the tail to the now blind fox, it also ran from Mistpaw. One more. _Where are you?_

Out of no where she heard an unfamiliar yowl. Turning her eyes focused on...Stonestar slamming into the dog?

It retched and closed it's teeth around his front legs.

The next moment seemed to go on for an eternity.

Everything in time slowed, the background seemed red and the figures before her shadowy.

She couldn't focus on any detail when it put a paw onto the leader's soft, fluffy pelt...

_And ripped off his front legs._


End file.
